Newly-hired Auburn men's basketball head coach Bruce Pearl took his personal brand of awkward self-promotion to Bristol today when he appeared on ESPN's Mike & Mike show on Thursday Morning. Pearl came into the studio wearing an Auburn baseball jersey that he sad was given to him by Auburn head baseball coach Sunny Golloway.Pearl described his arrival on the Plains to Dan Dakich and Jorge Sedano, who were filling in for regular hosts Mike Greenberg and Mike Golic.

“I got down there to campus. There were a couple of hundred people at the airport,” Pearl said. “We had a press conference to announce the new coach and meet the family. Gus Malzahn and his family were sitting front row. That’s big. He’s at spring practice, and he’s there.”

Pearl later went full Bruce Pearl by donning an Auburn football helmet, which took a little bit of effort due to the microphone he was wearing.Be afraid, Auburn. Be very afraid.(via The War Eagle Reader)